ANALYSIS:
With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis missing in action, some conservative-leaning media outlets have turned their ire against a favorite target: Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The New York congresswoman was photographed in Miami Beach on Thursday having a cocktail with a man she later identified as her boyfriend.
Because Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t wearing a mask while having a drink, the National Review unfavorably compared her trip to Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz’s infamous excursion to Cancun, Mexico.
Cruz’s trip occurred as a winter storm wreaked havoc on Texas and left most of his constituents without power or water.
The attack on Ocasio-Cortez not only counts as an ongoing assault against the woke congresswoman but could stand as a smokescreen to take some heat off DeSantis, who has been floated as a prospective 2024 GOP presidential candidate.
DeSantis has kept a low profile as Florida’s COVID-19 cases have risen to record highs.
“Counties are overwhelmed with lines that stretch for miles,” Florida Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones tweeted. “It’s every man and woman for themselves because leadership is missing in action.”
DeSantis, who has opposed vaccine and mask mandates, hasn’t spoken publicly since Dec. 17.
As the state of American politics and democracy continues to sink further into the abyss, lawmakers like Ocasio-Cortez have found it difficult to remain above the fray.
Self-proclaimed “bad hombre” and American nationalist Steve Cortes joined the National Review in attacking the New York congresswoman.
On Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez is a rock star.
But Republicans also use that platform to attack her openly.
However, Cortes badly misfired.
“If leftist like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they would be frolicking in free Florida,” Cortes tweeted.
Then in a more personal attack that the congresswoman exposed as simple jealousy, Cortes tried to go in on Ocasio-Cortez’s date.
“Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public – not at a pool or beach – with hideous sandals,” Cortes wrote.
Ocasio-Cortez immediately called out Cortes and Republicans, perhaps uncovering their most prominent issue with the attractive congresswoman.
“If Republicans are mad, they can’t date me; they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend’s feet. Ya creepy weirdos,” Ocasio-Cortez quipped.
She told her more than 12.8 million followers that the GOP’s obsession with her is “starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women, LGBT, and people in general.”
“These people clearly need therapy, won’t do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It’s really weird,” Ocasio-Cortez concluded.